Cabinet meeting: 26 June 2023

• Rt. Hon. Mark Drakeford MS (Chair)
• Lesley Griffiths MS
• Rebecca Evans MS
• Vaughan Gething MS (from item 5)
• Jane Hutt MS
• Julie James MS
• Jeremy Miles MS
• Eluned Morgan MS
• Mick Antoniw MS

• Hannah Blythyn MS
• Dawn Bowden MS
• Lynne Neagle MS
• Julie Morgan MS
• Lee Waters MS

Officials

• Andrew Goodall, Permanent Secretary
• Des Clifford, Director Office of the First Minister
• Rebecca Dunn, Head of Cabinet Division
• Toby Mason, Head of Strategic Communications
• Rory Powell, Head of First Minister’s Office
• Jane Runeckles, Special Adviser
• Madeleine Brindley, Special Adviser
• Alex Bevan, Special Adviser
• Daniel Butler, Special Adviser
• Ian Butler, Special Adviser
• David Davies, Special Adviser
• Kate Edmunds, Special Adviser
• Sara Faye, Special Adviser
• Sam Hadley, Special Adviser
• David Hooson, Special Adviser
• Clare Jenkins, Special Adviser
• Owen John, Special Adviser
• Phillipa Marsden, Special Adviser
• Tom Woodward, Special Adviser
• Christopher W Morgan, Head of Cabinet Secretariat (minutes)
• Damian Roche, Cabinet Secretariat
• Catrin Sully, Cabinet Office
• Kathryn Hallett, First Minister’s Office
• Helena Bird, Permanent Secretary’s Office
• Tracey Burke, Director General Climate Change & Rural Affairs
• Jo-Anne Daniels, Director General Education, Social Justice and Welsh Language
• Reg Kilpatrick, Director General, COVID-19 recovery and Local Government
• Tim Moss, Chief Operating Officer
• Andrew Slade, Director General, Economy, Treasury and Constitution
• Helen Lentle, Director Legal Services
• Steffan Roberts, Deputy Director - Tourism Development and Sport (item 4)
• Sarah Storey, Bill Manager (item 4)
• Steffan Bryn, Special Adviser (item 4)
• Ed Sherriff, Deputy Director – Energy (item 5)
• Rhiannon Phillips, Head of Domestic Energy Efficiency & Fuel Poverty (item 5)

1.1 Cymeradwyodd y Cabinet gofnodion y 19 Mehefin / Cabinet approved the minutes of 19 June.

Legislative Programme 

2.1 The First Minister reminded Cabinet that he would be making his annual statement on the Government’s Legislative Programme to the Senedd the following day. In addition to setting out the Bills that would appear in year 3 of the programme, he would indicate the government’s legislative priorities for subsequent years.

COVID-19 Inquiry 

2.2 The First Minister referred to the COVID-19 Public Inquiry, which had started to hear oral evidence from witnesses relating to Module 1, pre-pandemic preparations, and in early July he would be providing evidence.

2.3 As a result of this the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales and Trefnydd would be responding to First Minister’s questions on 4th July.

3.1 Cabinet considered the Plenary grid and noted that voting time would be around 6.35pm on Tuesday and approximately 6:55pm on Wednesday.

4.1 The Deputy Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism introduced the paper, which asked Cabinet to agree the policy direction for the Statutory Licensing Scheme in Wales. This was a Co-operation Agreement commitment.

4.2 The consultation to date, which focused on providers of accommodation, had revealed that a scheme of any kind was unfavourable, with the sector raising concerns about the administrative burden and additional costs on business. In response the government intended to deliver a licensing scheme that was cost effective and easy to administer.

4.3 As the safety of visitors was priority, the scheme would require businesses to confirm that they are complying with current regulatory requirements, such as fire risk assessments and gas safety certificates.

4.4 There would be a need to collect more evidence, from visitors, residents and communities, to ensure their voices were heard and that the Government’s assessment of the expected impact of the scheme would be more rounded and aligned to wider objectives for sustainable tourism.

4.5 This would give accommodation providers and visitors confidence that all premises in Wales were operating within the same framework of standards, creating consistency and addressing a long-standing concern in the sector.

4.6 In developing the scheme, there would be a need for clear communication and support, to ensure businesses understood the new requirements.

4.7 Cabinet acknowledged the concerns raised by the sector, but agreed there needed to be a level playing field for all those providing visitor accommodation in Wales, with those offering lodging in private homes, being subject to similar safety requirements as established businesses.

4.8 Cabinet approved the paper, subject to officials and noted that the consultation findings would be published in week commencing 3 July.

5.1 The Minister for Climate Change introduced the paper, which asked Cabinet to agree to consult on a Heat Strategy for Wales. 

5.2 The long-term strategy would support the aspiration for a net zero public sector by 2030 and assist in the decarbonisation of homes, industry and businesses by 2050. It was recognised that there was not a short-term fix to transition away from fossil fuel heating towards net zero compatible solutions.

5.3 The strategy addressed the need to decarbonise heating and responded to calls from the Climate Change Committee and the Senedd for the Welsh Government to outline its approach to the housing stock in Wales.

5.4 To support the strategy, there would be a need to develop short term detailed action plans to set out value for money options and solutions to support households and businesses, which were already struggling with the costs of living and doing business. It was important to build awareness and confidence in new technologies, while upskilling the labour force to ensure there were trained engineers to install new solutions. In addition, the supply chain would need to be developed to make sure that units were available at an affordable price.

5.5 The Welsh Government could not afford to meet the costs of decarbonisation and urgent action from the UK Government was also required. Furthermore, the market would need to drive change.

5.6 Cabinet welcomed the paper and recognised that short term actions would allow the government to take a more active role in driving forward change with plans to phase out the use of fossil fuel heating solutions in homes and businesses across Wales.

5.7 Furthermore, decarbonising homes would help those suffering from fuel poverty.

5.8 Cabinet approved the paper.

Cabinet Secretariat
June 2023